Counting the Tails
by HarmonytheRocketEeveon
Summary: Team Rocket are blasting off again! When they land, Jessie seems to be missing. James finds a Vulpix and catches it. She turns out to be Jessie. Now, with the help of Alpha, the AI inside her pokeball, Jessie must find a way to help James while keeping her fragile human memories intact. But will Meowth keep her secret safe from James? Minor Rocketshipping, set in Kalos.
1. Chapter 1

"Now that we've got Pikachu," Meowth says, "we'll be on our way." Meowth has Pikachu held in a rubber claw while Ash, Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie protest. Jessie and James already recited the classic motto.

"Give him back!" Ash shouts, jumping for Pikachu.

Meowth simply raises the claw higher. "Oh, no ya don't. We've spent too much time chasing ya. Let us win for once!"

"Never! Greninja, Water Shuriken!" Ash's Pokemon releases the sharp move, slicing the claw in half. Team Rocket scream. "Alright Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

"Pikaaaa-chuuuuu!" The electricity shocks Team Rocket and they blast off.

"Not again!" They shout. A strange sound comes from the Pokeballs on Jessie and James' belts. They look down in surprise. Suddenly, the balls start opening and closing frantically.

"Aah!" Meowth gasps as he's sucked into one of James' Pokeballs. Before he can be captured, it releases him again. Gourgeist, Inkay, and Wobbuffet are also thrown about, released and retrieved, over and over again. In the confusion, they don't realize where they are heading. They slam into a group of trees. James hangs over a thick branch, groaning, as his pokeballs finally calm down.

Meowth hangs from a thin branch. "What was that abou'?"

"I don't know." James pulls himself into a sitting position, then climbs down carefully. "Huh? Where's Jessie?"

Meowth drops, landing on his feet. "I'm sure she's fine. Remember when she though' she found love?"

"Right, she was close by. Jessie?" He calls out to no response. "We should keep looking."

A Vulpix comes out of a nearby bush, looking confused. It has bright blue eyes, not the normal brown of the species. "Vulpix?"

"A Vulpix," James says.

"Look at its eyes! Tha' must be rare." Meowth says, "Quick, catch it! If the Boss doesn't wan' it, we could use it to our advantage."

"Great idea. Go pokeball!" James grabs an empty ball from his belt and hits the Vulpix on the head. The ball wiggles quickly, then lies still. "I actually caught it!" They jump around in excitement. "Now, we need to find Jessie."

Inside the pokeball, the Vulpix looks around. "Wh-what happened?" The Vulpix couldn't remember who it was before being captured, but now they know. "Where am I?" She asks, echoing in the darkness.

A beep sounds and a digital screen appears on the wall. "I am a pokeball. I will provide everything you need while you rest. I can show you what you need to see, whether it is past memories, what your trainer is thinking, and more. You can-wait . . . You're different. You're not a normal Pokemon, are you?" The AI notices.

"I'm not even a Pokemon," the Vulpix says, "What are you talking about?"

"I see . . . Look here." A mirror appears on the screen, reflecting the Vulpix for her.

"I'm a Vulpix! But-but how?!" She exclaims.

"Is there a problem?"

"What do you think?!" She shouts, "I'm not supposed to be a Pokemon, you dimwit!"

"For your information, my intelligence surpasses that of Alakazam and Metagross combined." It shows the respected Pokemon when named. "Now, what do you think you are supposed to be?"

"I'm a human!"

"I see . . . that explains a lot. What is your name?"

"Jessie. What about you?"

"My name? Well, I'm just a pokeball . . . What would _you_ like to call me?"

"Hm, how about Dummy?"

"Ha ha, very creative."

"Fine, then Dexter."

"Already taken."

"What do you want from me?!"

"Here is a list of common names for AIs. You can choose one, if you want." It displays a list of names like Clank, Bit, and Boomer.

"Hm, alright. How about Alpha?"

"I like it. It has a nice ring to it, and sounds official."

"Alright, Alpha, how did I get here?"

"This is what happened." He displays how James caught her.

"But why am I a _Pokemon_?"

A large question mark appears. "Unknown."

"You're no help," she mumbles.

"I heard that. Even if you weren't that loud when complaining, I can read lips and your thoughts."

"My thoughts?"

"Yes, when you were caught, I was connected to you and your trainer's brain waves. That's how pokeballs can return Pokemon. Plus, it's how I can show you what you need to see."

"What do I need to see?"

"I have something in mind . . ." His voice trails off and the room becomes pitch black as the screen shuts down.

"Uh, Alpha?" Silence. "Alpha, this isn't funny!" A bright scene flickers on, making Jessie squint for a moment from the light. She looks around in wonder. It surrounds the entire dome. "What is this . . ."

"A memory," Alpha says simply. She watches as Jessie and Meowth are shown quickly grabbing onto James' arm before he can fall into a trap.

"I remember this. This was when we were in training. James and Meowth were the only partners I got along with."

"I'm glad you recognized it," he says sarcastically. "Now shush."

"Listen to me!" James cries out, "The cops are already on their way here. If they catch you, you'll be wearing stripes from here to eternity!"

"You promised me," Jessie argues, "We're going to be the greatest team in history. Now just, hold on." Meowth groans in pain.

James' eyes sparkle as he sees his teammates struggling. "Alright . . . I'll try." After pulling as hard as they could, James falls onto Jessie. She blushes and they're both breathing hard.

"Let's go get 'em," Meowth says.

"Are we ready team?" Jessie stands up.

"Ready as we'll ever be," James says.

"Let's do dis!" Meowth shouts and the memory fades away.

"I . . . I forgot . . . Um-that James weighed that much," she whispers.

"Wait," Alpha says, "There's more."

Jessie watches as even more memories pass by. The first time they met in Pokemon Tech, the first time they encountered the twerp, the time Jessie tried to hit a ghost with a bazooka for taking James, the time James thought he was a Moltres, the times he comforted her, the times they celebrated, and much more.

"This is . . . amazing," she says. "But, why are you showing me this?"

"You need to. Now, there's two more to show you. Pay attention, you did not witness these."

James hangs his head. "But, we've worked so hard to make our dreams come true . . ."

"All dreams come to an end eventually." At Jessie's voice, he raises his head and screams. Jessie stands in her Jessilia costume. "And the end of ours is now. I'm outta here!" She spins into the forest.

"So the first time the going get's rough, you spin your way out of it," James yells, although she is gone. "Loser, the quitter never wins!" He turns around and shouts into the sunset. "I'll rise so high on the Team Rocket ladder of success, you'll need a telescope to see me!"

It then shows him tucked into himself by a campfire, shivering slightly in the night air. He raises his head to look at the stars. His eye is drawn to two constellations. "Ugh, that looks just like Meowth. And there's Jessie. I wonder what those two scamps are up to right about now," he says sadly. His stomach rumbles. "Bah," he sighs, "when it comes to playing the tough guy, I talk the talk, but balk the walk."

The scene changes to show James striding up a rocky trail, swinging his arms in confidence. "If I rustle up that rarity and tell the Boss its capture was a triple team effort, we'll be his board of directors for sure! If Jessie and Meowth were faced with that kind of success, they'd turn in a heartbeat!"

It changes once more to show Jessie telling him off, pointing in his face and frowning deeply. "You could have been toast."

"Well, what do you care for? I thought you were going to become top coordinator, girlfriend. I'm fine on my own, if you please." He crosses his arms, turning away from her.

"Ah, cut the macheezmo. You know you're happy to see me, so just admit it." She smiles cunningly.

He opens one eye. He kneels on the ground and cries. "Oh, Jessie!"

The screen fades to black again. "I didn-I thought I wasn't there," Jessie says, catching herself before she could say another thing.

Alpha says, "You _were_ , for the beginning and end, however, I thought it would be the best way to highlight the middle scenes."

"Alright, I didn't know he missed us so much . . ."

"Really? That's what you think?"

"What else would it be?"

"You'll see. There's one more moment to show you. This is something you didn't actually see."

On the screen, Jessie explains to Serena, Ash, and Bonnie, "I've decided that I'm quitting Team Rocket, so I can live my life with Dr. White, forever."

James and Meowth gasp in bushes nearby. "Run that by me again," Meowth says with widened eyes.

"Jessie, no," James replies.

"Boo," Pumpkaboo says.

"Maybe Jess ate a bad berry. I'll go snap her out of it." Meowth stands up, only to pushed down by James.

"Stop. Maybe she'll be better off . . ."

"Did you eat a bad berry too?"

"Listen, if Jessie is only trying to find a little happiness for herself, maybe we shouldn't stand in her way." He says sadly, "After all, that's what real friends would do, wouldn't they?"

"Oh, James."

"Look, Wobbuffet's having a blast too." They watch Wobbuffet playing with the female Wobbuffet and little Wynaut.

Yeah, I get it. See, I've been in love before, believe you me I have. And if Jessie and Wobbuffet want to sail on that love boat . . ."

James finishes the sentence, "Let's not muddy the waters."

"We're outta here." They run away into the forest.

 _Jessie_ , a thought can be heard as memories come to James' mind. It shows them reciting the motto, running from Beedrill, sharing cookies, fishing on their submarine, and blasting off, together. Tears escape from James' eyes, flowing behind as he runs. _I hope you find happiness. Goodbye._

The scene fades to white, casting light onto Jessie's shocked face. "He . . . he wanted the best for me?"

"Yes, would you do the same?"

"Of course! But-I'm a Pokemon now. I can't be there for him . . ."

"Yes you can! That's one of the most important jobs as a Pokemon. You might even be able to be there for him even more than as a human."

"But, how? It's not like I can come out anytime I want."

"Just say the word."

"What?"

"There is a certain objective a Pokemon must have that allows them to come out whenever they desire."

"Like Wobbuffet?"

"Yes, exactly."

There's silence for a moment. "Well? Shouldn't you tell me it?"

"I am unable to, or at least, not until _you_ say it."

"That's unfair," she mumbles.

"Go ahead."

"Um, I never want to leave James." Silence. "I don't want him to be hurt." More silence, so she starts rambling, "I don't want him to be alone. I'll never leave his side. I'll always be there for him. I'll be a friend in his times of need. I'll never give up!"

A blue light flashes on the screen. "There you go, you said enough."

"You mean _you_ chose when?"

"Yes, I just needed to make sure of your choice."

Jessie rolls her eyes. The screen flickers to the images of James and Meowth searching for her. "Where could she be?" James asks. "She couldn't have gone far, right?"

"Stop your worryin'," Meowth says. "We'll find her soon enough."

"How do I-" Jessie starts to ask before she appears outside, looking around in surprise.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey, it's Vulpix," James says. "I wonder how it got out."

"Wobbuffet!/ _This same way I did._ " The blue Pokemon appears out of nowhere, making everyone jump.

"Wobbuffet," Meowth says, "But how did he get here?"

"Woba. Wobbuffet./ _From my pokeball. It's right here._ " He shifts through the bush and holds up a belt.

"It's Jessie's Pokemon!" James exclaims, gently grabbing the belt. Jessie stays silent, careful not to alert Meowth.

"Then, where is she?" Meowth starts to get worried.

"I don't know, but it can't be good. We should split up."

"Alright, I'll take Vulpix. Ya get the blue blob." Meowth drags Jessie away before James can complain. After a moment, Meowth says, "So, have ya ever had a trainer before?" Jessie shakes her head. "The quiet type, eh? Well, don't worry. James is a good trainer. I'd never admit it, but sometimes I wish he'd capture me so no one else would." He misinterprets Jessie reaction as confusion, instead of betrayal. "Of course, I'm a free spirit. Always been and always will." Jessie looks away, confusing Meowth. "What's wrong? Oh, we're looking for another member of our team. 'Er name's Jessie and she has a real temper." Jessie glares at him. "She thinks she's the leader and we follow 'er orders, but . . . we're just scared she'd beat us up."

That was the last straw. Jessie growls and tackles Meowth, pinning him to the ground. "Take that all back before I glue that big meowth of yours shut!"

Meowth stares up under Jessie's paws. His eyes bulge out and he looks very surprised and afraid. Jessie notices what she's doing and sits up quickly. She tries not to look him in the eyes. "Jessie?" She risks a glance at him. "Is tha' really ya?"

She takes a big breath. "Yes."

"But how?"

"I really don't know."

"Why are ya a Vulpix?"

"I _said_ I don't know."

Meowth's silent for a moment, then jumps to his feet. "We need to tell James!"

Jessie steps on his tail. "No, wait."

"What's the matta?"

"It's just . . . I don't want him to worry about me."

"But he thinks you're in trouble somewhere."

"I know, but I don't want him to make a big deal about this."

"Big deal? Of course it's a big deal! You're a Pokemon and he actually _caught_ you!"

"You think I don't know that? I don't want to be a burden. Besides, Alpha said I might be able to protect him better as a Pokemon."

"Who's Alpha?"

"He's the AI in my pokeball. You never told us what pokeballs were like inside. You didn't even tell me why Wobbuffet can come out unexpectedly."

"It never came up. So, ya took the oath, eh?"

"Yeah . . ."

"Nice, so what's your plan?"

"My plan?"

"Yeah, what are you going to do? James is driving himself crazy lookin' for ya and you're just gonna stand by an' watch?"

"For now, yes. I'm waiting for the right time."

"And tha' is?"

"I don't know yet."

"What about your Pokemon? Will ya tell 'em?"

"Eventually. Let's just get back to them."

"If ya say so." Meowth follows her through the forest. They meet up with James and Wobbuffet searching frantically.

"Where could she be?" James says.

"Ey, James. Do ya think it's time to settle for the night?" Meowth says, the setting sun shining off his coin.

"Oh, hi Meowth. I guess you're right. I'm just worried is all."

"She'll be fine." They set out tattered blankets they found in a clearing. James returns Jessie and Wobbuffet into their pokeballs as they try to sleep.

"I can't believe I told Meowth," Jessie grumbles to Alpha.

"It is advisable to have a person to share your thoughts with in tough times."

"I had you for that."

"You've known Meowth longer. Plus, I'm a computer that can literally see your thoughts. Sharing is a better way of releasing your emotions. Speaking of reading your thoughts, there's a repeating thought in the back of your mind I would like to discuss."

"No way. I'm not getting into that sort of stuff!"

"Have it your way. Well, here is what you need to see at the moment." The screen shows James lying on his blanket, staring up at the stars. "I suppose you know what to do."

"He's just being ridiculous," Jessie argues. "He shouldn't worry about me. I can take care of myself."

"Is that what you think of him? About that thought in your mind . . ."

"Fine," she says quickly. "I'll do it." She exits her pokeball.

"Hey, Vulpix," James says simply, still gazing at constellations.

Jessie leans in closer to him and sees his eyes shining. _Is he_ crying _?_ She thinks.

James grabs her and pulls her warm fur closer to him. He points to a set of stars. "That's what Jessie looks like." Jessie glances up at the dancing lights. "You know, I miss her." Jessie looks at him in surprise, intently listening to his next words. "She can be irritable, but she's still my friend. I would always be there for her. I know Meowth thinks I'm over exaggerating, and she can obviously take care of herself . . . It's just, I don't know how the team will function without her. The last time she left, it went terribly wrong. She thought she fell in love with someone, so we let her be. We got defeated by a Pokemon poacher who took Meowth and all of our Pokemon. She came back to help. I keep hoping we didn't ruin her life. If she loves someone, then . . . we won't get in the way." James turns on his side to hug her to his chest. Tears start dropping onto her fur. He talks softer. "I'm really worried. If she's hurt, I don't know what'd I'd do. I never got to tell her . . ." He trails off as he falls asleep, all tensed up. Jessie licks a tear from his chin and he relaxes.

 _I never knew he felt this way. What does this mean? Does Alpha know? Oh, James. I'll be here for you. No matter what. Don't worry . . ._ Jessie also drifts off to sleep. Meowth, who was eavesdropping, closes his one open eye and smiles.

The next morning, Jessie jerks awake as she hears a voice. "Wake up, ya two! The twerps are here!"

James sits up quickly, knocking Jessie to the ground. "Sorry, Vulpix." He rubs the sleep from his eyes and Jessie tries to shake her head to wake up.

"Hurry," Meowth says, "this can be Vulpix's first battle." Jessie looks up and he winks.

"You're right." James stands up. Jessie follows reluctantly. They peek through a bush to see the kids training peacefully.

"Prepare for trouble." Meowth exits the bush, reciting Jessie's part of the motto.

"And make it double." James joins in.

"To protect the world from devastation."

"To unit all people within our nation."

"Meowth."

"And James."

"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light."

"Surrender now or prepare to fight."

"Vulpix!" Jessie jumps in and Wobbuffet lifts her onto his head.

"Wobbuffet!"

"Team Rocket!" The kids shout in unison.

"They have a Vulpix," Clemont says.

Before the kids can respond, James says, "Vulpix, Flamethrower."

"Vulpix!" Jessie shoots a line of fire out of her mouth and the kids duck.

"Go, Talonflame!" Ash shouts.

"Talonflame!" His Pokemon spreads its wings.

"Ah ha!" While Ash was distracted, Meowth grabs Pikachu in an electronic-proof container and hurries back behind James. Pikachu shock the cage to no effect.

"Pikachu! Talonflame, use Razor Wind!" Ash commands and the bird slashes its wings though the air, creating sharp currents of wind.

Jessie quickly dodges the blow and waits for James. "Use Flamethrower again." Talonflame spins around the move and chuckles. "Alright, Double Team." Jessie stares back at him. "Don't know that, huh? Now what . . ." Jessie quickly dodges an unexpected Flame Charge.

"Do I have to do everything myself?" Jessie mumbles as James scratches his chin in thought. Before they can react, Talonflame swoops closer with a Steel Wing. Instead of dodging to the side like it expected, she jumps onto its back.

"Oh no, Talonflame. Try to shake her loose!" Ash says.

Talonflame does several twists and turns midair. Jessie holds on tight, wrapping her body against its to keep from soaring off. Before Talonflame can level off, a fire grows in her mouth. They are both engulfed in a cloud of flames from her Ember. Talonflame crashes into the ground with a groan, and Jessie tumbles into a somersault. She lands at James' feet, shakes the dizziness from her head, and leaps up. A few burn marks cover her fur.

"Woah," is all James can say.

A voice is heard. "Greninja, go!"

Jessie looks up to see the frog racing towards her with a Cut. She zips through his legs before he slashes out a chunk of grass. He turns around and his arms and legs start to glow blue. Jessie moves in with a Quick Attack. Both moves connect, sending them sprawling backwards. She lands on her feet, but the weariness is showing through her heavy breathing.

"Greninja, Double Team!"

As he starts to appear in multiple images, Jessie says, "Great, I don't know the move and it's coming back to bite me." Her tail glows white and she spins around. The Tail Whip knocks out five, but she gasps for breath. "There's too many of them!" At Ash's command, multiple Water Shuriken surround her, hitting dead on.

A pain jolts through her body. She loves water and snow, however, she's now a Fire-type. Before she can think, the world goes black.

"Jessie. Jessie, wake up! We have a problem . . ."

She slowly opens her eyes to see the darkness of her pokeball. "Alpha?"

"Good, you're awake."

"What's . . . wrong?"

"For one, you were just in a fierce battle. Nice job for the first shot, by the way."

"I don't know. It just came naturally, I guess."

"Yes, trying to impress you-know-who. However, it would be wise to stay away from battling for the moment."

"Why? I'm fine." She tries to stand up, but stumbles.

"Here. I can help with that." A levitating potion appears and sprays her lightly. Jessie opens her mouth to speak. "Before you ask, Pokemon Centers are the main source for healing. I can just help keep the pain at bay for a short while."

"But why shouldn't I battle?"

"That's . . . complicated. It seems you lose part of your human memory each time you battle, evolve, etcetera."

"My memory? But I don't feel any different."

"Well, do remember these two?" A picture appears on the screen of a woman with yellow hair and purple eyes and a man with green hair and brown eyes.

"No, should I?"

"Yes. This is Butch and Cassidy. You've been rivals with Cassidy ever since you joined Team Rocket."

"Well, they couldn't have been that important if I forgot them that easily."

"Correct. However, it will only get worse. While you were unconscious, I did a few calculations." A chart pops up. "There are five main memory sections in your brain. The smallest section was Butch and Cassidy. Next, will be Team Rocket. Then, your childhood and Miyamoto. Then, all of your Pokemon you've encountered, including Meowth. Lastly, you will forget . . . James."

"But, why? Wouldn't he be my trainer?"

"Yes. You will most likely remember everything you've done as a Pokemon. You just won't remember what he's done for you."

"You're smart, so, how can we fix this?"

"I am sorry. This entire situation is a mystery to me. It should be impossible for a human to be a Pokemon, much less be caught in a pokeball."

"So, it's hopeless?"

"I'm afraid so."

* * *

Poor Jessie . . . :'( I'm sorry. I've only written another sentence beyond this. I'm also working on "Don't Dwell on the Past" and my artwork.

There is a painting to go along with this section of the story (James isn't on the ground, but I still think it looks cool). It's on my deviantart.


	3. Chapter 3

After a moment of silence, Jessie lowers her head. "I might as well sit tight. It's unlikely James will ever visit a Pokemon center."

"I wouldn't be so sure."

Jessie looks up to see a video of James running. "Come on, Meowth! We need to hurry."

"What did ya think ya were doing?!" Meowth chases him.

"Vulpix looked really hurt and she returned without my word."

"What makes ya think leaving Pikachu was a good idea? Would Jessie want-"

"Jessie's not here," James snaps. At Meowth's silence, he says, "We just have to face it. She's gone."

Meowth opens his mouth to speak, but pauses. James has a certain look in his eyes. A mixture of determination, loss, and hurt. Meowth looks at the grass under his paws.

"James . . ." Jessie whispers to herself as they rush through the doors of the hospital.

"Please Nurse Joy." James runs up to the counter. "My Vulpix was in a battle with a Talonflame and a Greninja. She looked bad." He hands her the ball. She sets it on a cart.

"While I'm at it, are there other Pokemon you would like me to check up on?" She asks calmly.

"Sure." He gives her Wobbuffet, Gourgeist, and Inkay. He looks down. "Do you want a checkup Meowth?"

"Eh, fine." He follows Wigglytuff and Nurse Joy into another room, while James sits down. He sets his chin into his hands and waits.

Nurse Joy releases Jessie unto a table and treats her burns and injuries. She continues to check everyone, then goes to retrieve James.

"So, you're new?" Wobbuffet asks her.

"Not quite," she says and Wobbuffet jumps.

"Jessie!"

"How did you know?"

"A Pokemon never forgets their trainer," Gourgeist says.

"Right."

"That would explain your eye color," Wobbuffet says. "Although, there _is_ a tinge of brown around the edges."

"Eh?" Meowth leans in to look. "Funny, that wasn't there before . . ."

"So, are you going to tell James?" Wobbuffet says.

"At first, no. But Alpha told me some startling news . . ."

"Jessie, what's wrong?" Meowth notices the tone in her voice.

"I'm losing my memories . . ."

"Eh, say that again?"

"I'm losing my memories, okay?! It happens when I battle or evolve. He said that I forgot Butch and Cassidy. Then, I'll forget Team Rocket, my mother, my Pokemon, and eventually . . . James." She stares at the ground, hiding her frustrated tears.

"Oh, Jess. Does this mean-"

"I want you to tell him. But, I'd like to stay in my pokeball when you do." She tenses up when two blue arms, two tan arms, two pale tentacles, and two orange strands of hair wrap around her. She looks up to her friends giving her a warm embrace. "Thanks," she whispers as she wipes away the tears with her paw.

Nurse Joy enters with James. He returns everyone but Jessie. He kneels down next to her and hugged her. "I was so worried about you." Jessie's confused for a moment, before she realizes that he's talking about the battle. She licks his ear, then returns to Alpha. "Huh? She did it again. Meowth?"

"Eh, I'll tell you outside."

James frowns. He thanks Nurse Joy and follows Meowth behind the building. "Alright, what's up?"

"Tha' Vulpix ya caught . . . isn't quite a Vulpix."

"What do you mean?"

"It's Jessie."

James stands for a moment, bewildered. He slowly sinks to the ground, crossing his legs. "Wh-what?" he says quietly.

"She doesn't know how it happened, but after you captured her, she remembered who she was. The pokeball, Alpha, helped her through it. She decided to protect you at all costs, so she can enter and exit her pokeball at will."

He pauses at James' confused face. "And the battle?" His voice cracks.

"She found out that each time she battles or evolves, she loses a part of her memory. She forgot Butch and Cassidy and she'll gradually lose more memories until . . ."

"Meowth? Until what?"

"Until she forgets you."

James looks away. "I was afraid of that," he says softly. They hear a sound as Jessie exits her pokeball. "Oh, Jessie . . ."

" _Pix!_ /James!" She runs into his arms, letting the tears slip from her eyes. She cries, " _Vulpix!_ /I never want to forget you!" Meowth translates for James.

"I'll never forget you. I'm sure you'll do the same," he reassures her. She looks into his eyes.

" _Pix!_ /James!" She curls in his lap and he strokes her warm, brick-red fur. They stay like that for minutes, but it felt like hours.

Meowth clears his throat. "Wha' do we do now?"

"We could look for the twerps," James suggests.

" _Pix?! Vulpix!_ /What?! Are you crazy?" Jessie growls.

"He has a point," Meowth says. Jessie stares at him in disbelief. "Ash was a Pikachu once, remember?"

" _Vulpix._ /But that was a spell or something."

"We don't know how ya became a Vulpix, so we can't rule that out. Besides, they might be able to help. Even if we're enemies, we _have_ helped each other at different times. They tried to help ya with Dr. White, remember?"

" _Vulpix._ /Yeah, I do." Jessie blushes and stares at the ground.

"I agree with Meowth," James says. "We should go now. We don't know how long we have and if there are other factors to your memory-loss."

" _Pix._ /Alright." Jessie leaps to her feet and follows after them into the forest.

It doesn't take to long to find them. Team Rocket have a knack for annoying the kids, especially at the wrong times. As Team Rocket step into a clearing, James pulls Jessie out of the way of a Water Shuriken. Ash was training his Greninja by bashing a rock. He pauses when he sees James holding Jessie in his arms.

"Hold up!" James lifts up one hand.

"Team Rocket! What do you want?" Ash snaps.

James and Meowth explain the situation as Serena kneels next to the Vulpix. "So, this is Jessie?" She reaches out to pet her. Jessie growls and backs behind James.

"It sure acts like her," Bonnie grumbles.

"So, do you have any tips?" James asks.

Ash says, "Well, when I was a Pikachu, there wasn't anything remotely like memory-loss. And it wore off after a few days. I'm sorry, but I have no idea. Clemont?"

"Usually I'd expect any situation, but I haven't seen anything precisely like this one." They brainstorm for a second. "How about you visit Professor Sycamore? Professors are usually experts. Sycamore specializes in the study of evolution. If Jessie loses her memory by evolving, he might know something."

"I suppose." James looks down at Jessie, who jumps into his arms. "Looks like we're going again. I wonder how we'll explain this to the Professor. We kind of blew up his lab a few times . . ."

* * *

AN: I've had most of this written for a while, but I had a long brain-fart after Jessie tells James. I finally know where I'm going and there will be even more than I planned. Look forward to more heartache, mystery, and adventure!


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